Are you looking for a new induction cooktop for your RV? Are you looking for an upgrade for the current stove that doesn’t work whenever you want it to? Whatever the problem with your van’s cooktop, I got you covered!
Navigating through the mountain of awful products can be tricky, but I’m here to help. Throughout this article you’ll learn the pros and cons of five of the best induction cooktops for your camper. This will include the different types of cooktops, their effectiveness, ease of use and price range. As well as some helpful tips of what to get and what not to get. This will ensure that nothing gets in the way of your road trip culinary arts. There will be a FAQ at the end to answer some (literally and figuratively) burning questions.
By the end of this article you will become an expert in induction cooktops for your next RV trailer adventure. You should find the right product for you by the time you reach the bottom, with these helpful tips.
Best RV Single Portable Induction Cooktop
A fantastic single burner induction cooktop which is perfect to take on the road in a smaller RV or camper and which won't break the bank.
Check Amazon PriceThis cost effective RV induction stove has all the features you need to get you started. This portable stove allows for easy storage or travel. The 15 heat settings allow for easy adjustments between heat levels, making preparing food that much more pain free.
The stove doesn’t transfer heat, meaning that you won’t burn yourself or burn food to your stove. This allows for an easy cleanup in case of a spill, only needing a damp cloth. The downside of this is that you’ll need a specialized set of cookware specifically for induction stoves.
I can see myself bringing this out when all the other heat surfaces have been taken up with the preparation of a large meal. The small size allows it to fit in small spaces without taking up a lot of room in the kitchen. It is also lightweight and can be moved around with ease.
Duxtop induction cooktop can accommodate many pots and pans ranging from 5 inch diameter and up. The pots and pans will receive an even heat edge to edge providing a top notch cooking experience.
The cooktop stove only has one heat surface, meaning that if you’re looking for a replacement for a multi heat surface stove, I would recommend getting something else. Also, be careful with large, heavy pots with large amounts of food as there is a 25 pound weight limit.
Some RV owners had problems where the stove was either too loud or stopped working all together after a few attempts. However, those are probably just defective copies and there is nothing to worry about. The product does have a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee so can be easily returned if something does go wrong.
Best Double RV Portable Induction Cooktop
A great double burner for your RV for those looking to cook multiple things at once and still be able to be stored away in a cabinet after use.
Check Amazon PriceAnother Duxtop burner on the list, this induction burner has two induction heating surfaces. The cooktop is completely safe to use and won’t burn the user and food. This allows for easy clean up. The stove comes with a child lock system to keep children safe while in the trailer kitchen. The safety feature also includes protection from overboiling.
The LCD screen display is a clear way to see the current temperature. There are a total of 20 heat levels, which makes fine tuning temperature a piece of cake, in addition to several mods for specialized cooking tasks.
The lightweight sleek design allows this stove to be stored and carried around, perfect for your van. This stove is perfect for RVers who have never used an induction stove before. The modern professional look won’t make you stand out among your peers.
The design is durable and energy efficient, although the price is fairly high compared to the induction stoves. Some buyers of this product reported one of the burners not working after a few months, but those are in the extreme minority. Not something I would want to see in the reviews, but customer support is great at fixing those issues!
It takes some time to get used to cooking with this RV induction stove, but works well after mastering the controls. It also requires specialized induction burner pots and pans in order to use.
Best Large RV Built-In Induction Cooktop
A truly fantastic option for those looking to install something a bit more permanent in their RV to cook full meals with ease.
Check Amazon PriceNow we get to the first built-in RV induction stove. This induction stove provides a wapping 5 heat surfaces for any of your cooking needs. The stove is energy efficient with its auto pan detection, only heating the pan without wasting energy around the edges.
The surfaces will stay cool to the touch so you will not have to worry about burning yourself and spills are easy to clean. As with most induction stoves you’ll need to buy pots and pans designed for induction stoves.
A downside to this stove is that it has to be installed into your camper, which may take a weekend or two. That being said it is much more efficient than gas and coil electric stoves. Your food will be heated evenly and efficiently.
There are a few sizes available depending on the size of your kitchen in your trailer.
The glass top is cool looking, but is a bit fragile considering that it is made out of glass. I found that the customer support isn’t the most friendly, but most people didn’t run into any problems using this induction stove.
Best Small RV Built-In Induction Cooktop
For those who only need a smaller two burner stove for their RV, this is our recommendation. It has all the settings you'll need and also has many other sizes if you need them.
Check Amazon PriceThis is the best small built in induction stove available on the market. It’s small size allows it to fit neatly into a small kitchen, this choice makes it perfect for RV campers. The touch controls are easy to use and feature 9 heat levels to precision cooking.
This stove is safe to use as the surface doesn’t heat up. Since the surface doesn’t heat up it won’t burn your food to the stove. The clean up only requires a damp cloth and the surface is scratch resistant. As part of the safety feature the induction stove has child lock and several other features that make it safer to operate.
This stove comes with a number of other features, such as the built in timer that can also be set to auto turn off the burners when the given time expires. The heat is distributed equally along the surface ensuing and even heat in your pan. The price is the hefty side.
As with other RV induction burners you will need specialized cookware. This stove needs to be installed and can’t be moved around (at least it would be hard to lose). The installation process should be done by a professional as some people found the included instruction confusing. The quality is top notch and won’t break easily.
I found that customer support for Gasland is somewhat questionable, but the quality of the product is amazing.
Best Double Electric Burner for RVs
If you've decided you'd prefer an electric cooktop, this double burner will be a great option for your RV.
Check Amazon PriceThe cusimax stove is an induction stove with two heating surfaces which allow for multiple pots and pans to cook simultaneously. This induction stove can be put onto any open space, but close to a power outlet.
Pots and pans should be at least 7.1 inches in diameter for proper heating, anything smaller won’t work as well. On the other hand this cooktop can heat up various materials, including stainless steel, ceramic, glass, cast iron and more.
I can be sure that I will remain safe while using this product as there is an automatic safety shutoff. However, it will still take up to 15 minutes for the stove to cool down enough to touch. With this induction stove you can NOT touch the surface until it has cooled off.
The glass top is easy to clean with just a cloth. This portable design allows for easy storage or transportation. The induction cooktop is lightweight, which makes it easier to move from counter to counter without the risk of dropping it. The material is stainless steel and a ceramic stove top, both sturdy and reliable.
The first time running the stove it produces a smell and some smoke, this is normal, but a bit scary. The cusimax induction stove works well and is a reliable, low budget friendly option for a cooktop.
While researching I found that some customers had issues where one of the burners stopped working. The 30 day hassle free warranty fixed those issues. The size of the stove does seem a bit small for some people. This largely depends on the size of pots that you use and shouldn’t be a problem using both heat surfaces with smaller pots or pans.
Pros & Cons of Induction vs Gas & Electric in an RV
Pros of Induction Cooktops in RVs
Induction stoves tend to be more heat efficient, using 90% of the heat that is generated. This keeps the kitchen much cooler and makes cooking more enjoyable. Depending on the model, on average induction cooktops heat up faster than a regular stove.
Induction cooktops are a lot safer to use. They are less prone to accidental kitchen fires, much to my delight. Since induction stoves are designed to only heat up cookware, they won’t burn your hand if you accidentally lean on it, or place a piece of paper on the burner (most induction stoves also turn off by themselves if they don’t detect a pan on it).
It is easy to control the level of heat on an electric stove and to adjust it.
Cons of Induction Cooktops in RVs
The upfront cost of induction stoves can be costly in comparison to the builtin stove that comes with the RV. Since induction stoves can be portable they are susceptible to being damaged when dropped. They are tough, but they are made with a glass top which will shatter if handled incorrectly.
The cooktop may take some time to heat up when turned on. Also you would need to purchase appropriate cookware.
Pros of Gas Stoves in RVs
Gas stoves usually come built in so no additional work is required to get them working. The heat source itself is a flame which doesn’t take time to heat up.
Cons of Gas Stoves in RVs
If your gas stove isn’t working you may need to replace it, which may be very costly, depending on the stove. At this point you might as well upgrade to induction.
Gas stoves may pose a safety hazard if there is a leak. They lose a lot of the heat they produce, meaning your kitchen and home will become stuffy and hot very quickly.
Induction cooktops can be built in (which will require some effort to install) and gas stoves come already built in. Not a pro or con, just something to consider, whatever your style of camper-cooking may be.
The fuel cost is the same with induction cooktops being slightly cheaper. Both induction and gas stoves have similar number of burners depending on choice, with gas stoves having at least 4 by default. Choose what is right for your style and you’ll never be disappointed. Now that you know the difference let’s go take a look at some awesome induction cooktops!
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of pans work on an induction cooktop?
Induction stoves require specialized cookware that are compatible with induction stoves. The types of cookware that work with induction stoves are magnetic bottom pans. Your regular pots and pans won’t work at all on induction stoves. Generally cast iron and iron pots will work. Stainless steel pans only work if they are magnetic. Tru sticking a magnet to your pots and pans and if they adhere well, then they will work on induction stoves.
How does an induction cooktop work?
Induction stoves work by generating a magnetic field underneath the pan. This magnetic field passes through the bottom of the pan, heating it up and allows you to cook your food. This is the reason why your normal pans won’t work on induction stoves. Since there is no transfer of thermal energy, there is less energy being wasted. Also the surface of the induction stove will remain cool and won’t burn you or your food if placed on a turned on burner.
How can I safely use an induction cooktop in an RV?
Induction stoves are completely safe to use. Since they use magnetism/electromagnetic radiation to heat up your cookware the stove itself doesn’t get hot. Don’t worry electromagnetic radiation is completely safe to use. The kitchen itself will be less hot and stuffy, which is a nicer environment to cook in. Non induction friendly cookware isn’t dangerous to use on an induction stove, it just won’t work. One thing to watch out for in induction stove cooking is properly installing the stove in your camper kitchen. If you have a portable one, you don’t have to worry. But if you are purchasing a built in one, then I highly recommend hiring a certified technician to install it for you.
What can I do to make my induction cooktop last longer?
An induction cooktop is simple enough to care off. They won’t break by themselves, but do make sure to check the lifetime hours of the stove you’re planning on purchasing. Just remember to clean the surface of the stove after cooking with a paper towel and water. There are some specialized induction stove cleaners, but they aren’t required. Just make sure not to use any sort of abrasive cleaners, steel wool, and scrubbies. Those types of cleaners can scratch the glass surface of an induction stove. Since the induction stove top is made of glass, make sure not to drop anything heavy on top of it as that can crack or shatter the stovetop.
In Summary
After reading this guide, you should find exactly what kind of induction stove you need. If you have any further questions, please don’t feel shy to leave them in the comment section below.
Remember you don’t need to buy ‘the best’ induction stove, just something that will work best for you and your camper van. The choices might seem overwhelming, just ask yourself, what is it that I need? The choice should be apparent to you.
Make sure to stay safe in your travels and your kitchen.
Happy cooking!